Brisbane's Southbank

As the name suggests, it is on the south bank of the Brisbane River and is a place of culture, education and recreation.

Charli loves visiting Brisbane’s South Bank, one of the city’s most desirable suburbs. As the name suggests, it is on the south bank of the Brisbane River and is a place of culture, education and recreation. New and exciting things are continually evolving.

17 hectares of lush parklands with beautiful river views, it is the venue of hundreds of events throughout the year and as well as picnic spots, there are ninety restaurants, cafés, bars and boutiques. You can visit world-class museums and galleries, a performing arts centre and there’s a cinema, 5-star hotels and the Wheel of Brisbane.

There are three pools to enjoy. Aquativity is a fun, interactive water-play park and is patrolled year-round. Streets Beach is Australia’s only inner-city, man-made beach, boasting a sparkling lagoon surrounded by white sandy beaches, sub-tropical and exotic plants. Boat Pool with its cool, blue water is very popular and while you’re splashing around you will see much activity on the river – dragon boating, rowing and canoeing, water skiing and the odd regatta.

South Bank has undergone a multi-million dollar revamp and looks wonderful. A very popular addition is South Bank’s Kids’ Club. There are plenty of interactive attractions and throughout the year there is a variety of entertainment.

Another addition is The Epicurious Garden, named for those in constant pursuit of great food, drink and adventure. It is all about discovery with exotic plants and fragrant herbs and everything is edible – fruit, vegetables and herbs. Dedicated volunteers are usually around to talk about inner-city gardening and they even have recipe suggestions!

Everything growing in the 1500 square metres is seasonal and organic and chosen to suit Queensland’s climate. The ornamental and beautiful productive garden is free to visit and open year round.

Horticulturist Jerry Coleby-Williams says that, within reason, passers-by are welcome to help themselves to the fresh herbs. Everyone is encouraged to smell and sample, and as the garden matures there will be plenty to go around. He told Charli that he puts scented geranium leaves in cakes and they give an ordinary treat a real zing.

A short walk away is the Sciencentre at the Queensland Museum. It offers interactive, science-based fun for everyone. It’s a 100% hands-on experience. Their tag is ‘there are no visitors, just participants.’

You can join a spider feeding demonstration with resident arachnologist Dr Rob Raven. Not just fascinating, it’s a good way for those who fear spiders to feel more relaxed about them.

Ready for lunch, Charli was keen to visit The James Squire Brewhouse. It is named ‘The Charming Squire’ to honour the life of James Squire, the infamous, charismatic, rogue convict-turned-brewer. It has its own brewery on-site and serves lunch and dinner. The Brewhouse is all about building an appreciation for beer and encouraging visitors to be adventurous and try different tastes.

She chatted with resident brewer, Anthony Clem, who said having a brewery above the bar is practical in many ways. There is always fresh beer on tap and they brew different styles each week.

Gone are the days of swilling bucket-loads of beer at a backyard barbecue. Craft beer is about quality over quantity and really tasting and appreciating unique flavours.

Charli loved the split level building. It is a clever blend of high ceilings, repurposed timber and minimalist finishes. The main bar is copper and there is an internal lift and staircase, as well as a one-way mirror looking over the brewery.

The main bar has outdoor seating and leads into the restaurant which is lined with curtains made of copper and has custom-built leather booth seating.